Block options

[bradleyem]

So, my car has almost 115,000 miles on it. I plan on eventually doing a KB Mammoth on it, but keeping it at around 600 HP. But first I need to build the bottom end to handle it. Also, my coolant temps have been rising lately (today they were running around 238 and it was only around 75-80 outside), and now my car is making a tapping noise that changes with engine RPM. When I listened for the sound, it seems to be coming from the bottom of the engine near the rear. It does not seem to be valvetrain noise. So, I want to get a low milage block and build a forged short block and I may need to do it sooner than later. My question is, what is the best block to use? The hard part is that I have not seen a single mod motor Mustang in a junk yard here. So are there any other vehicles that have a suitable block to build (F150, crown Vic, etc)?

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[weather man]

Use your own block before it destructs. A .020 overbore and you should be good. I used a Coast High Performance rotating assembly with my stock block.

 

[bradleyem]

My car is my DD, so I want to build the motor ahead of time so that my car will only be down for a weekend while I swap motors.

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[weather man]

My car is my DD, so I want to build the motor ahead of time so that my car will only be down for a weekend while I swap motors.

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The coolant temps may force your hand. Be silly to warp the heads and wreck the stock block. Although, could be an easy fix on the fan or pump for that.

 

[HellsBells]

If you want to build a motor without taking yours out, I would just buy a new block.

Better to use your own stock block than to buy another's used stock block and find out the bores are bad, etc... At least with your own, you know what it's been through.

 

[BruceH]

FRPP has the new 5.0 stroker short block. You can use a few different blocks. You cannot use a front wheel drive block.

If I was in your shoes I'd get a big bore boss block. It's an iron alloy that weighs about 80lbs more than an aluminum block. The 3.7" bore gives you 304 cubic inches with a stock crank. You can find new Manley flat top pistons for under $400.

The block is about $1200, head changing kit is $250, pistons $400, rings $150, stock crank $50, decent rods with good bolts $400, motor mount adapters $220, machine work $600-$1200 depending, bearings, gaskets, etc about $300.

You could build this block and swap everything over for a total of $3500-$4000 if you did your own labor and only paid for the machine work. It would be capable of handling what you plan for +.

That's just one idea anyway. I keep kicking the idea around myself. Hopefully my car will sell before I have a moment of weakness.

 

[lethe]

I'll have my stock shortblock out of my car next week. I'll be selling it shortly afterwards.

 

[bradleyem]

Lol....well, there is the idea of just finding a nice used GT 500 and getting rid of this one, but it's almost paid off and I would rather just build it the way that I want it. I'd like to do as much of the work myself as I possibly can. There is nothing more satisfying than having a sweet engine that you assembled yourself sitting on an engine stand...

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[lethe]

^ Tell me about it. I've been staring at my new shortblock for the last month or so.

 

[GT E UPP]

I went with Brenspeed's B326ci (5.3L) built Stroker...and very happy !

 

[Greg Hazlett]

Tekskid blocks are an option as well, arguably the strongest production block made for Ford.

 

[28ONE]

I went with Brenspeed's B326ci (5.3L) built Stroker...and very happy !

Thats what I want ^

 

[bradleyem]

I would love to get a B326....if money weren't an object, then that would definitely be the route that I'd go. But that's around $5500 just for the short block and related items to do the swap. Maybe I'll start saving my pennies and hope that my engine lasts long enough...lol

But today I checked the oil and coolant and found out why I had a knock. The oil was 3 quarts low and the coolant expansion tank was empty. There is definitely something bad going on. I just changed the oil about 1200 miles ago, and the coolant is less than 3 months old. The last oil change was royal purple 5w20. I put in conventional 5w30 this time and hopefully the thicker oil will slow the loss a little. I filled the coolant tank with distilled water. Now I REALLY hate the stupid dummy gauges in these cars. The oil pressure and temp guages stayed right in the middle and gave no indication of a problem. They wouldn't have done so until after there was a window in the block. There is quite a bit of black residue inside my exhaust tips.

Also, I'm seeing what looks like exhaust gassing into the coolant overflow tank. I can see bubbles and a cloud of gas rising into the tank when I let off the gas.

http://static.photobucket.com/playe...leyem/VID_20130630_120927_328_zpse5249c6a.mp4

So time to do a compression and leakdown test. Unfortunately, that also means breaking off some spark plugs

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[lethe]

That doesn't look too good. When the headgasket on my brothers truck blew it would shoot coolant out of the over flow and radiator like a geyser. And that was from just cranking the engine over. Let us know how the compression and leakdown tests go.